A method of direct oxide reduction includes forming a molten salt electrolyte in an electrochemical cell, disposing at least one metal oxide in the electrochemical cell, disposing a counter electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of osmium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, lithium iridate, lithium ruthenate, a lithium rhodate, a lithium tin oxygen compound, a lithium manganese compound, strontium ruthenium ternary compounds, calcium iridate, strontium iridate, calcium platinate, strontium platinate, magnesium ruthenate, magnesium iridate, sodium ruthenate, sodium iridate, potassium iridate, and potassium ruthenate in the electrochemical cell, and applying a current between the counter electrode and the at least one metal oxide to reduce the at least one metal oxide. Related methods of direct oxide reduction and related electrochemical cells are also disclosed.

A method of direct oxide reduction includes forming a molten salt electrolyte in an electrochemical cell, disposing at least one metal oxide in the electrochemical cell, disposing a counter electrode comprising a material selected from the group consisting of osmium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, palladium, platinum, silver, gold, lithium iridate, lithium ruthenate, a lithium rhodate, a lithium tin oxygen compound, a lithium manganese compound, strontium ruthenium ternary compounds, calcium iridate, strontium iridate, calcium platinate, strontium platinate, magnesium ruthenate, magnesium iridate, sodium ruthenate, sodium iridate, potassium iridate, and potassium ruthenate in the electrochemical cell, and applying a current between the counter electrode and the at least one metal oxide to reduce the at least one metal oxide. Related methods of direct oxide reduction and related electrochemical cells are also disclosed.

A method of and system for electrolytic production of reactive metals is presented. The method includes providing a molten oxide electrolytic cell including a container, an anode, and a current collector and disposing a molten oxide electrolyte within the container and in ion conducting contact with the anode and the current collector. The electrolyte includes a mixture of at least one alkaline earth oxide and at least one rare earth oxide. The method also includes providing a metal oxide feedstock including at least one target metal species into the molten oxide electrolyte and applying a current between the anode and the current collector, thereby reducing the target metal species to form at least one molten target metal in the container.

The present invention relates to a spent fuel dry reprocessing method for directly obtaining a zirconium alloy nuclear fuel, comprising: determining components and a ratio of a molten salt composition used for melting a spent fuel according to a requirement of reactor design on a zirconium alloy fuel and contents of actinium series metals in the spent fuel; melting the spent fuel in the above molten salt composition; and selecting an electrode pair for electrodeposition so that zirconium in the molten salt composition and uranium ions in the spent fuel or uranium and other actinium series metal ions are subjected to co-deposition, thereby obtaining the zirconium alloy nuclear fuel meeting a design requirement. The spent fuel dry reprocessing method provided by the invention is suitable for oxide spent fuel and metal spent fuel, and is simple and controllable in process, low in energy consumption, low in cost and easy to industrialize.

The present invention relates to a spent fuel dry reprocessing method for directly obtaining a zirconium alloy nuclear fuel, comprising: determining components and a ratio of a molten salt composition used for melting a spent fuel according to a requirement of reactor design on a zirconium alloy fuel and contents of actinium series metals in the spent fuel; melting the spent fuel in the above molten salt composition; and selecting an electrode pair for electrodeposition so that zirconium in the molten salt composition and uranium ions in the spent fuel or uranium and other actinium series metal ions are subjected to co-deposition, thereby obtaining the zirconium alloy nuclear fuel meeting a design requirement. The spent fuel dry reprocessing method provided by the invention is suitable for oxide spent fuel and metal spent fuel, and is simple and controllable in process, low in energy consumption, low in cost and easy to industrialize.

There is described a method of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. The spent nuclear fuel is added to an electro-reduction cell containing a halide salt electrolyte at a temperature above the melting point of the metallic form of uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel. The cell is operated so as to electrochemically reduce the spent nuclear fuel to an alloy of uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel, wherein electrochemical reduction is continued until a concentration of unreduced components of the spent nuclear fuel is sufficiently low for the ahoy to agglomerate.

There is described a method of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. The spent nuclear fuel is added to an electro-reduction cell containing a halide salt electrolyte at a temperature above the melting point of the metallic form of uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel. The cell is operated so as to electrochemically reduce the spent nuclear fuel to an alloy of uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel, wherein electrochemical reduction is continued until a concentration of unreduced components of the spent nuclear fuel is sufficiently low for the ahoy to agglomerate.

A method of electrolytic reduction of a feedstock comprising oxygen and a first metal comprises the steps of, arranging the feedstock in contact with a cathode and a molten salt within an electrolysis cell, arranging an anode in contact with the molten salt within the electrolysis cell, the anode comprising a molten second metal and applying a potential between the anode and the cathode such that oxygen is removed from the feedstock to form a reduced feedstock. The oxygen removed from the feedstock reacts with the molten second metal to form an oxide comprising the second metal. The second metal is aluminium. The reduced feedstock may comprise a proportion of aluminium.

A method of electrolytic reduction of a feedstock comprising oxygen and a first metal comprises the steps of, arranging the feedstock in contact with a cathode and a molten salt within an electrolysis cell, arranging an anode in contact with the molten salt within the electrolysis cell, the anode comprising a molten second metal and applying a potential between the anode and the cathode such that oxygen is removed from the feedstock to form a reduced feedstock. The oxygen removed from the feedstock reacts with the molten second metal to form an oxide comprising the second metal. The second metal is aluminium. The reduced feedstock may comprise a proportion of aluminium.

The present disclosure provides a system and a method for reducing metal oxide to metal M.sup.1.